Andalusia beholds the most fundamental expression of the cultural clash between the al-Andalus Islamic kingdoms of Iberia and the Catholic kingdom of Spain. From 711 to 1492, the overwhelming majority of Spain was ruled not by Catholic kings, but by the Islamic Empires. In Andalusia, the culture and history of that period is most present. Moreover, the region is littered with the history of Spain's global empire, as well as the ancient history of the Romans and Phonecians.

Anybody who has been to music school is likely familiar with the term “concert black”. It’s a term used to describe all black formal dress used for a cultivated music concert. Students in classical or jazz music are likely forced to wear concert black for concerts in an academic setting. As a music student at Ithaca College, I have always loathed concerts black. I think it is very uninspiring and makes the visual aspect of a concert dull. In Seoul however, performers have been able to get away with wearing almost anything on stage.

Oh, November in Vienna! As the weather descends in temperature, Christmas market stands pop up around all the districts. The districts are vastly different and are little microcosms of their own subcultural tendencies within Vienna. I think that it would be fair to speculate that on some level, the atmosphere of each market seems to reflect something about the districts' character. 

When I initially arrived in Spain, some cultural aspects were shocking at first. Let me go through my top 5 list that shocked me the most!

Have you ever heard about the author Neil Gaiman? You know, the English author that wrote many of our favorites such as Coraline, Stardust, The Sandman? Yes? Well, he wrote The Ocean at the End of the Lane and it was published in 2013. This novel was adapted for the stage in 2019 by Joel Horwood. This play is a production by the National Theater production. Why do I give you all of this information?

One of my favorite things from London is the tube. There. I said it. There is no epic line preceding it. It is just a fact. 

You see, my school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, which is a cute little town, but there is not much going on. I also do not have a car, so it is very difficult to get anywhere besides the local Target.  

I have officially been living in Rome for over two months. In that process, I have gotten into the groove of a new lifestyle. I have found myself on a first-name basis with the baristas at a local cafe, designated a restaurant as my go-to lunch spot, and learned to get around the city without the need for a map, but one thing I still feel unprepared for is having guests visit. I’ve had the privilege of getting to know this city at my own pace, but I have had friends come to visit for much more brief periods of time.

When I learned most of my friends were staying in the dorms while I was in a homestay, I couldn't help but feel a little jealous in the beginning. Seeing all their texts in the Line group chat, saying they were doing homework together on the third floor, or they were having a movie night, or otherwise just getting up to usual college student hijinks in the dorms—all of that gave me major FOMO.